Kasunmu represented the best traditions of legal scholarship – Bayo Ojo
By Innocent Anaba
Former Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Chief Bayo Ojo, SAN, has paid glowing tribute to the late Prof. Alfred Kasunmu, SAN, describing him as a remarkable scholar, gentleman, and statesman who profoundly shaped Nigerian legal education, advocacy, and public service.
Reflecting on the passing of the legal luminary, who died peacefully in the early hours of Sunday, August 9, 2026, at the age of 92, Chief Ojo recalled his formative encounter with Kasunmu at the University of Lagos (UNILAG).
“He was my Dean at the Faculty of Law of the University of Lagos in 1974,” Ojo said, noting that learning under Kasunmu left an indelible mark on his career and inspired countless others who came under the late professor’s intellectual influence.
Chief Ojo highlighted Kasunmu’s rare combination of intellectual brilliance, professional competence, humility, and dignity, emphasizing that despite his vast legal knowledge, he never used it to intimidate.
“Rather, he used it to illuminate difficult questions, challenge young minds, and encourage his students to think deeply and independently,” Ojo said, crediting Kasunmu as a foundational figure in modern Nigerian jurisprudence.
As Dean of UNILAG’s Law Faculty from 1973 to 1975, Kasunmu played a pivotal role in shaping young legal minds while setting uncompromising standards for academic discipline and professional excellence.
“His was a life devoted not merely to the practice of law, but to the advancement of the law itself,” Ojo added, remembering Kasunmu as a principled gentleman who proved that one could reach the pinnacle of professional success without compromising humility or humanity.
Chief Ojo’s homage follows an official announcement by the Kasunmu family confirming the patriarch’s passing.
“With gratitude to God for a life well spent, we announce the passing of our beloved father, grandfather, and great-grandfather, Professor Alfred Bandele Kasunmu, SAN, who departed peacefully in the early hours of Sunday, 9th August 2026,” the family stated.
Born on May 23, 1934, in Lagos to parents from Ilesa, Osun State, Kasunmu was educated at Elizabeth Fowler Memorial School, Reagan Memorial Baptist School, and Baptist Academy, Lagos, before earning his LL.B. and LL.M. degrees from University College London.
He was called to the Nigerian Bar in 1964 and immediately began his academic career as a pioneer lecturer at the University of Ife (now Obafemi Awolowo University